bennett



E; B. BENNETT.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 1915.

1,326,526. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

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APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1915.

1,329,526. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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the other and extending the entire width ERAST'US B. BENNETT, OF FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MINERALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 41, 1919.

Application filed December 14, 1915 Serial No. 66,735.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASTUS B. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at 114k Third street, San Francisco, county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Minerals; and I do declare the following to be a u o full, clear, and exact description of the invcntion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the char acters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for separating precious metals, and particularly gold, from the material in which they are found, and my apparatus may be employed either as an amalgamator or as a concentrator.

Broadly stated, this invention comprises a tank adapted to be partly filled with water, said tank having an inclined bottom and pockets formed thereon, arranged one above of the tank. A series of pipes extend through the interior of this tank and are respectively arranged above the said pockets, each pipe having a series of openings in its lower portion, through which water or air,

as desired, may be directed into the pockets,

and the latter may contain mercury if the apparatus is to be used as an amalgamator, or the mercury may be dispensed with if it is to be employed as a concentrator.

Furthermore, a partition is located in the tank, and terminates a short distance from the bottom of the latter, said partition dividing the tank into two compartments and regulating the flow of water between the same. The volume of water in one of said compartments is further controlled by valve controlled outlets connected with the front wall of the tank, and by means located in said compartment for automatically increasing or diminishing the flow of water into the tank.

Having briefly outlined my improved consi'ruction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, n which is illus;

trated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view in elevation of my improved apparatus, taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus taken in the direction of the arrow 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view upon an enlarged scale, of one of the pockets which I employ, and the means for delivering water or air thereto.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a suitable base having uprights 6 mounted thereon, the opposite sides of the base being connected by cross beams 7, and the said uprights by beams 8. The latter are arranged to support a tank 9 open at the top and whose bottom is inclined as shown at 10. Brackets 12 are secured eXteriorly to the said inclined base, and are adapted to rest upon the beams 8 for supporting purposes as before mentioned.

Angle plates 13 are located within the tank, and are secured to its base at 141: by suitable fastening means. These plates eX- tend the entire width of the tank, and are arranged one above the other, and so shaped as to form a series of pockets 15. The lower extremity of each plate has an amalgam plate 16 secured thereto, which projects downwardly into the pocket formed by the angle plate directly below. One amalgam plate is also secured to the bottom 10 of the tank, as disclosed at 17, and projects downwardly into the pocket formed by the uppermost angle plate. The pockets 15 are adapted to contain mercury, but the use of the latter may be dispensed with if desired.

Extending through the tank and located respectively above each pocket. are pipes 18 having openings 19 formed therein throughout their length, said openings being dis posed at an angle to the vertical and adapted to discharge water or air as the case may be against the material to be caught in the pockets 15, and on account of the inclination of said openings the water or air will force a portion of the material out of the pockets and over the edge 29 pf the latter,

from where it will pass downwardly into the next pocket below. The pockets are provided with outlet pipes 21 which are connected to the angle plates and extend below the tank through perforations formed in the bottom of the latter, their lower extremities being normally closed by caps 22.

A partition 23 is located in the forward portion of the tank (referring to Fig. 1),

and extends the entire width of the same, its lower edge, however, terminating a short distance above the bottom of the tank, and being flared to facilitate the passage of ma terial between the same and the inclined bottom of said tank. This partition divides the interior of the tank into two compartments 24 and 25.

An angle bracket 26 is secured to the rear side of this partition, and is perforated to receive the upper extremity of a rod 27 which is threaded to receive a nut 28 which is adapted to be screwed thereon and engage the angle bracket 26. The lower extremity of the rod 27 is secured to an angle bracket 29 mounted upon a plate 30 whose side edges engage grooves 31 formed be tween angle bars 32 and the partition 23. By manipulating the nut 28 this plate can be raised or lowered to regulate the width of the passage between the lower edge of the partition 23 and the bottom of the tank.

The front wall of the tank near its lower extremity and to one side, is provided with an elongated opening 33 for the discharge of water and material, the passage of the latter beinv regulated by a plate 34 slidably mounted adjacent the inner side of the said front wall by means of bolts 35 passed through perforations in the plate, the heads of said bolts engaging the inner surface of the plate, and their shanks extending through slots 36 formed in the frontwall. Washers 37 are applied to the bolts and are adapted to be held in engagement with the outer surface of the wall by nuts 38 which are screwed upon the free extremities of the said bolts. By manipulating these nuts the aforesaid regulation can be accomplished.

The front wall of the tank is also provided with a series of valve controlled outlets 39 for regulating the volume of water within the compartment A float 40 is located within this compartment, and is connected with one extremity of a cable 41, which passes upwardly over a guide pulley 42 mounted upon a bracket 43 secured to the top of the tank at 44. The opposite extremity of this cable is connected with one extremity of an arm 45, the opposite extremity of the latter being connected with a valve 46 located in the pipe 47, one extremity of which is bent downwardly at 48- and projects slightly into the top of the tank, The opposite extremity of this pipe 47 is in communication with a vertically disposed conduit 49 whose upper extremity is connected with a suitable water supply.

The pipes 18 which extend through the tank, project beyond one side of the latter, and are in communication with a conduit 50. The portions of these pipes between the tank and conduit 50 are respectively provided with valves 51. A valve 52 is located in the conduit 50 above the uppermost pipe 18, and a valve 53 is also located in said conduit below the lowermost pipe 18.

Mounted above the tank upon suitable bearings 54 is a, revolving drum 55 composed of inner and outer screen members 56 and 57 concentrically arranged.

In employing this apparatus, the tank is first filled with water as disclosed in Fig. 1, the valve 46 being normally open, due to the fact that the float 40 will be at its downward limit of movement when the tank is empty. Water will also be introduced into the pipes 18 by opening the valves 51. The lower portion of the drum 55 is adapted to occupy a position within the tank, and revolve in close proximity to the inclined bottom 10 of the latter. By virtue of the partition 23, the water in the main compartment 24 of the tank can always be maintained at a level approximately equal to that of the top of said partition, whereby the said lower portion of the drum will be submerged. This is true because the passage between the lower edge of the partition 23 and the bottom of the tank is so small that the flow of water will be retarded, and the size of this passage can be readily regulated by raising or lowering the plate 30. Also by virtue of this construction and the valve controlled outlets 39, the water in the compartment 25 can be maintained at a different level from that in the main compartment 24, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Material containing gold and other valuable minerals is then deposited into the hopper 58, from which it is discharged by means of a chute 59 into the interior of the drum 55. The latter is then revolved, and the finer particles containing the precious metals, will be projected through the screens and deposited upon the'upper extremityof the inclined bottom of the tank. From this point the said material will be washed downwardly over the uppermost amalgam plate 16 and be caught in the top pocket 15 and brought into contact with the mercury therein. The water in the pipes 18 during this' time is being forced through the inclined openings 19 and directed at an angle into the pockets 15, thereby forcing the material against the mercury, and also whatever gold or other minerals have not been retained in the mercury in the top pocket will be carried, together with the gangue, over the edge 20, from where it will travel downwardly over the lower portion of the upper angle plate the amalgam plate secured thereto and deposited in the pocket next below, where it will be subjected to the same treatment as in the top pocket. This process is repeated until the material reaches the lower extremity of the bottom of the tank, when it will pass under the partition 23 and will be with drawn from the tank, together with water, through the elongated opening 33. The passa e of the material and water through this opening may be regulated by the plate 3% and also by the volume of water in the compartment 25, since the greater the amount of water in this compartment, the gr ater the pressure will be upon the material; and consequently, the faster it will pass out through the said opening 88. The level of the water in the compartment 25 is regulated by the valve controlled outlets 39. If, for instance, the level of the water in the compartment 25 is desired to be such as illustrated upon Fig. 1, the valve in the upper outlet only is opened, whereby the water cannot rise above this point. If, for any reason, the water should be flowing too fast out of the opening 33 and the level of the water falls below this upper outlet, the float 40 will also move downwardly, thereby further opening the valve 46 and increasing the flow of water into the main compartment 2% of the tank. The water in the compartment 25 will, of course, rise in response to this increase, and will carry the float 4O upwardly with it, whereby the valve arm 15 will be released and partially closed by the recoil action of a spiral spring which is connected at one extremity with said valve arm and at its opposite extremity with an adjustable collar 61 mounted upon the pipe 47. It will be noticed that the valve 46 is never entirely closed, due to the fact that water is continuously flowing out of the tank through the opening 33.

By virtue of the above described operation the precious metals, and particularly gold, will be retained in the mercury located within the pockets 15, and said metals may be withdrawn from the latter through outlets 21 by removing the caps 22.

This apparatus may also be employed if desired as a concentrator by dispensing with the mercury in the pockets 15, in which case the gold, etc, will be deposited by gravity in the said pockets instead of being retained by the mercury.

Furthermore, air instead of water may be supplied to the pi es 18 if desired, and this is accomplished by closing the valve 52 above the pipes 18 and opening the valve 53 below the same, and connecting the lower extremity of the conduit l?) with a suitable air source.

Attention is called to the fact that if it should be necessary to have the level of the Water in the compartment 25 equal to that of the water in the compartment 24, which could be brought about by keeping the valves 39 closed, and the water should then rise, it will flow out of the tank through the overflow opening 62.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,

1. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand and gravel, including a tank having an inclined bottom containing troughs, each trough bein below the other from the uppermost downward along said inclined bottom, said troughs being hori Zontally arranged across said bottom, said tank having a discharge opening below said troughs, and pipes horizontally arranged across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit water under pressure in the pipes to be projected downward toward the troughs, and each pipe being lower than the other from the uppermost pipe downward, said troughs and pipes being adapted to be submerged when the apparatus is in operation.

2. An apparatus for extractipg gold and platinum from sand and gravel, including a tank having an inclined bottom throughout its length, horizontally arranged troughs in said bottom, adapted to contain mercury, each trough being lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward, pipes having openings in their lower extremities to project water, under pressure downward toward the troughs and arranged horizontally across said bottom and in close proximity to the same, each pipe being lower than the other from the upperniost pipe downward, paralleling said inclined bottom, the tank being provided with a discharge opening below said pipes and troughs and near the lowest extremity of said tank, and an overflow discharge opening above the latter, said troughs and pipes being adapted to be submerged when the apparatus is in operation.

3. An amalgamator, comprising a tank adapted to contain water, having an inclined bottom provided with recesses adapted to contain mercury, pipes above said recesses having openings in their under sides, whereby they are adapted to project water downwardly toward said recesses, the pipes and recesses being wholly submerged in said tank when the apparatus is in operation.

4. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand and gravel, including a tank having an inclined bottom throughout itslength, horizontally arranged troughs in said bottom, adapted to contain mercury, each trough being lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward, pipes having openings in their lower extremities to project water under pressure downward toward the troughs and arranged horizontally across said bottom and in close proximity to the same, each pipe being lower than the other from the uppermost pipe downward, the tank being provided with a discharge opening below said pipes and troughs and near the lowest extremity of said tank and an overflow discharge opening above the latter, said troughs and pipes being adapted to be submerged when the apparatus is in operation, and a vertical partition in said tank near the discharge end of said tank, which partition divides said tank into two compartments, said partition being between i the end of the tank and the said troughs and pipes, there being a passage for the passage of sands and water from one compartment to the other.

5. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand and gravel, lncluding a tank having an inclined bottom throughout its length, horizontally arranged troughs in said bottom, adapted to contain mercury, each trough being lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward, pipes having openings in their lower extremities to project water under pressure downward toward the troughs and arranged horizontally across said bottom and in close proximity to the same, each pipe being lower than the other from the uppermost pipe downward, the tank being provided with a discharge opening below said pipes and troughs and near the lowest extremity of said tank and an overflow discharge opening above the latter, said troughs and pipes being adapted to be submerged when the apparatus is in operation, and a vertical partition in said tank near the discharge end of said tank, which partition divides said tank into two compartments, said partition being between the end of the tank and the said troughs and pipes, there being a passage adjacent the lower part of the partition for the passage of water and sands from one compartment to the other, and an overflow above said passage.

6. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand and gravel, including a tank having an inclined bottom throughout its length, horizontally arranged troughs in said bottom, adapted to contain mercury, each trough being lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward, pipes having openings in their lower extremities to project water under pressure downward toward the troughs and arranged horizontally across said bottom and in close proximity to the same, each pipe being lower than the other from the uppermost pipe downward, paralleling said inclined bottom, the tank being provided with a discharge opening below said pipes and troughs andv near the lowest extremity of said tank and" an overone side of said partition to the other, and

an overflow above said passage, and a revolving screen cylinder partially submerged in forward compartment of said tank and in combination therewith.

7. An apparatus of the class described comprising a tank, means for discharging water into said tank and the latter having an inclined base, plates secured to said base, arranged one above the other and bent to form pockets extending the width of the tank, means for depositing material upon the upper portion of the inclined base above the uppermost plate, means located in the said tank directly above said pockets for delivering fluid under pressure thereto, a partition also located in saidtank and dividing it into compartments, said partition terminating a short distance above the base of the tank, a plate slidably mounted adj acent the lower extremity of the partition, the tank being provided with an opening near the lower extremity of its inclined base, and a plate slidably mounted upon the wall of said tank for controlling the passage through said opening.

8. An amalgamator comprising a tank adapted to contain water and having an inclined bottom, plates arranged one above the other secured to said inclined bottom, and bent to form pockets adapted to contain mercury, amalgam plates secured to said pocket plates, each amalgam plate extending into the pocket formed next below, and another amalgam plate secured to the bottom of the tank and extending into the pocket formed by the uppermost pocket plate, means for depositing material upon the inclined bottom of the tank above the last named amalgam plate, and pipes located in the tank directly above the pockets, said pipes having inclined openings in their lower portions for delivering fluid under pressure to the latter.

9. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore including a tank which is full of water when in operation, said tank having an inclind bottom containing troughs adapted to contain mercury arranged horizontally across said bottom, one trough slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water ar- 7 ranged horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe slightly lower than the other from the uppermost plpe downward and each of said pipes havmg an opening 111 its lower extremlt to Jernnt the esca "e of water under y pressure 111 the pipe downward, said tank having a discharge opening below said plpes'and near the lowest extremity 01": said tank a vertical artltion 1n the tank near 7 the dlscharge end and below sald plpes and troughs, there being a passage for the passage of water and sands from one side of the partition to the other.

10. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank which is normally "full of water when in operation, said tank having an inclined bottom containing troughs arranged horizontally across said bottom, each trou 11 being slightly lower than the other from tie uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water arranged horizon tally across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit th water in the pipe under pressure to escape downward, a discharge opening in said tank below the pipes and troughs, a horizontal revolving screen cylinder partially submerged in said tank above said pipes and troughs.

11. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank which is normally full of water when in operation, said tank having an 1nclined bottom containing troughs arranged horizontally across said bottom, each trough being slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water arrange-d horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permlt the water in the pipe under pressure to escape downward, a discharge opening in sa1d tank below the pipes and troughs, a horizontal revolving screen cylinder partly submerged in said tank above said pipes and troughs, said tank provided with an overflow opening above its discharge openlng.

1.2. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank which is normally full of water when in operation, said tank having an inclined bottom containing troughs arranged horizontally across said bottom, each trough being slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water arranged horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit the water in the pipe under pressure to escape downward, said tank having a discharge opening below the pipes and troughs, a horizontal revolving screen cylinder partly submerged in said tank above said pipes and troughs, a partition in said tank near discharge end dividing said tank into two compartments, said revolving screen cylinder in the forward compartment above the pipes and troughs, there being a discharge opening adjacent the lower extremity of the partition for the passage of water and sands from one compartment to the other.

13. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank which is normally full of water when in operation, said tank having an inclined bottom containing troughs arranged horizontally across said be torn, each trough being slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough d wnward and pipes adapted to contain water arranged horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said inclined bottom, each pipe havin an opening in its lower extremity permit the water in the pipe under pressure, to escape downward, said tank having a diselnirge opening below the pipes and troughs, a horizontal revolving screen cylinder partly submerged in said tank above said pipes and troughs, a partition in said tank near discharge end dividing said tank into two compartments, said revolving screen cylinder in the forward compartment above the pipes and troughs, there being a discharge opening adjacent the lower extremity oithe par tition for the passage'o't water and sends from one compartment to the other.

1 1-. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank adapted to contain water having an inclined bottom, there being a discharge opening near the lowest extremity of said tank, a horizontally arranged reyolving screen cylinder partly submerged in said tank above said bottom, troughs horizontally arranged across this bottom, one trough slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water, arranged horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said bottom, each pipe being lower than the other from uppermost pipe downward and each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit water under pres sure in the pipe to escape downward toward the bottom of said tank, a partition in said tank near discharge opening, said partition dividing the tank into two compartments, the cylinder troughs and pipes being in forward compartment, there being an opening adjacent the lower extremity of the partition to permit material treated to be discharged into next compartment.

15. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank adapted to contain water having an inclined bottom, there being a discharge opening near the lowest extremity of said zontally across said tank in close proximity to said bottom, each pipe being lower than the otheri rom uppermost pipe downward and each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit water under pressure in the pipe to escape downward toward the bottom of said tank, a partition in said tank near discharge opening, said partition dividing the tank into two compartments, the cylinder troughs and pipes being in forward compartment, there being an opening adjacent the lower extremity of the partition to permit material treated to be discharged into next compartment, an overflow above the last named opening.

16. An apparatus for extracting gold and platinum from sand, gravel and ore, including a tank adapted to contain water having an inclined bottom, there being a discharge opening near the lowest extremity of said tank, a horizontally arranged revolving screen cylinder partly submerged in said tank above said bottom, troughs horizontally arranged across this bottom, one trough slightly lower than the other from the uppermost trough downward and pipes adapted to contain water, arranged horizontally across said tank in close proximity to said bottom, each pipe being lower than the other from uppermost pipe downward and each pipe having an opening in its lower extremity to permit water under pressure inthe pipe to escape downward toward the bottom of said tank, a partition in said tank near discharge opening, said partition dividing the tank into two compartments, the cylinder troughs, and pipes being in forward compartment, there being an opening adjacent the lower extremity of the partition to permit material treated to be discharged into next compartment, an overflow above the last named opening and said tank being provided with an overflow opening above its discharge opening.

17. An apparatus for extracting values, from sand and the like, comprising a tank having an inclined bottom, mercury troughs on said bottom, an overflow partition, forming a small compartment at the deeper end,

a screen cylinder extending into said tank with a portion below the level determinedby the overflow from said partition, a water supply for said tank, said small compartincnt having a level-determining outlet, and means in said small compartment controlled by the water level therein to regulate the flow into said tanks.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS B. BENNETT.

Witnesses p Ron'r. A. HENRY, HARRY A. STRIBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents,

Washington, I). 0. 

